San Ysidro contract headed to mediation

SAN YSIDRO  A contract standoff between the San Ysidro School District and teachers association is headed for state mediation.

The district last week petitioned — and got — the California Public Employment Relations Board to appoint a mediator to help in the district’s negotiations with the San Ysidro Education Association. Despite months of talks, the two sides are no closer to an agreement, according to Jason M-B Wells, president of the San Ysidro School District governing board.

“At this point, we are so far apart, and we don’t have time to play,” said Wells, referring to the school district’s impending insolvency after years of decreased funding from the state. “The district is facing a financial crisis, and has already cut most expenses to the bone.

“The only cuts that have yet to be made are in employee pay and benefits.”

Calls and emails to representatives of the San Ysidro Education Association were not returned.

The district is proposing an 8 percent reduction in compensation each school year for three years: the current 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Teachers initially sought a 6 percent increase in wages, but lowered it to 1 percent during negotiations earlier this month.

Current projections provided by the San Diego County Office of Education show that the San Ysidro School District will be able to pay salaries and other bills through May 2014, but would not have sufficient funds to meet its obligations in June.

Last spring, San Ysidro became the only school district in San Diego County with a negative certification. Such a certification is assigned when a district is not be able to pay its bills in the current year or for the subsequent year.

Ultimately, if the financial situation is not righted, it could result in the state Superintendent of Public Education assuming full control of the district.

San Ysidro’s operating budget for the 2013-14 school year is $42 million. Last spring, the projected deficit was $4 million and in June, the governing board was forced to borrow $10 million from property taxes to pay district bills.

The anticipated deficit has since been reduced to $2 million, according to Dena Whittington, assistant superintendent of business services for the school district. It does not alter the district’s stance on the necessity for an 8 percent cut.

“Because of the financial condition the district is in, the County Office of Education is telling us what to put in our budget. We have very little control of the budget,” said James Whitlock, a consultant retained by the San Ysidro School District and a retired assistant superintendent versed in human resources for the Fallbrook school district.

There is no statutory deadline for talks, Whitlock said, but the sooner negotiations conclude, the sooner the district can start making cuts to achieve its goal. If employees agree to the 8 percent cut in January, for example, paychecks for the rest of this school year would have to be reduced in excess of 12 percent to make up for the months that have already gone by.

“The longer the negotiations drags on, the bigger the hit to the paychecks,” Whitlock said.

The San Ysidro School District has 234 certificated employees, including teachers and administrators. Current enrollment is 5,134 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Salaries range from $43,526 for starting teachers to $86,081 for the most experienced teachers. Administrators, such as principals, are paid for days worked; the range is $471.21 to $580.94 per day. Elementary school principals are paid for 207 days; middle school principals 212 days.

“We are too small to have this ‘us versus them’ mentality,” Wells said. “This isn’t political, there is no gaming.

“We are just trying to sign for the worst case scenario, for what we know to be true 100 percent today. If we get a million bucks more tomorrow, we can revisit this. Nobody would be happier to do that than me.”

The school board is expected to review new projections of district cash flow next month.

No date has been set for when bargaining talks will resume, Whitlock said.